Israel’s election count remained unsettled as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party accused Arab-led parties of electoral fraud and called for investigations into alleged irregularities at polling stations. Netanyahu’s camp has also warned against what it describes as an attempt to advance the “Islamisation of Israel”.
With around 93% of ballots counted, preliminary figures put Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot stood at 48. Arab-led parties held a combined 19 seats, leaving the outcome dependent on the remaining ballots and the distribution of surplus votes.
Ra’am, the Arab party led by Mansour Abbas, was reported to have gained a seat, taking its tally from seven to eight. The Joint List, meanwhile, fell from 12 seats to 11. However, figures released by the Central Elections Committee indicated that the Joint List remained on course to secure the disputed 19th seat under a surplus-vote agreement between parties. According to The Times of Israel, Ra’am was approximately 1,200 votes short of winning that seat.
Likud demands investigations into alleged voting irregularities
Netanyahu’s Likud party alleged that Arab parties were involved in election fraud during Tuesday’s polling and demanded investigations by the police, Shin Bet and the Central Elections Committee.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Netanyahu’s account said the party would submit hundreds of testimonies and pieces of evidence relating to alleged irregularities at Arab polling stations. The allegations included bribery, intimidation, violence, forged documents and multiple voting.
Likud called for a comprehensive investigation and prosecution of anyone found responsible, arguing that the alleged conduct threatened the integrity of the election and Israel’s democratic system. The claims have not been independently established.
Double-envelope ballots still being counted
The Central Elections Committee has begun processing double-envelope ballots, which include votes cast by Israeli soldiers, prisoners, medical personnel, people with medical conditions and Israeli representatives serving overseas.
The regular vote count also remains incomplete. Of the country’s 12,018 regular polling stations, results had been processed from 11,712, covering 5,126,759 voters. The remaining stations were undergoing verification procedures, according to the commission.
The final distribution of seats could affect the balance between the competing political blocs, although the preliminary figures suggest that neither side has secured a clear path to a parliamentary majority.
Coalition negotiations could determine Netanyahu’s future
The closely fought election could leave Israel facing another round of polls if political leaders fail to assemble a governing coalition. Netanyahu would remain caretaker prime minister while efforts to form a government continue.
Democrats leader Yair Golan has called on the opposition bloc led by Eisenkot to cooperate with Arab parties in an attempt to secure a parliamentary majority. Initial exit polls had pointed to a deadlock, before subsequent projections gave Netanyahu’s bloc a narrow advantage.
The election recorded a turnout of nearly 77.7%, with approximately 7.33 million Israelis eligible to vote. It was the country’s first general election since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
How Israel’s electoral system works
Israel elects members of its 120-seat Knesset through a nationwide proportional representation system. Voters choose political parties rather than individual constituency candidates, and parliamentary seats are allocated according to each qualifying party’s share of the vote.
A party must receive at least 3.25% of the national vote to enter parliament. To govern with a parliamentary majority, a party or coalition needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers.
Once the final results are available, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to consult political party leaders and determine which candidate is best placed to form a government. The candidate selected will have up to 42 days to negotiate with other parties and assemble a governing coalition. The final vote tally is expected by October 30, while the results are scheduled to be formally published on November 4.
